1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to the art of cooking and, more particularly, to a ceramic-based cooktop including a main plate portion extending in a substantially horizontal plane and a face plate portion which projects forward and downward from a frontal section of the main plate portion, with the face plate portion defining a control panel for regulating the activation state of various heating elements arranged on the main plate portion.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Both gas and electric cooking appliances are widely available in today's marketplace. The cooktops associated with electric cooking arrangements employ either coiled, electric resistance burner elements which project slightly above the upper surface of the associated cooktop, or smooth cooktops. Smooth cooktops are formed of glass or ceramic-based, i.e., ceramic and glass-ceramic, materials.
Due to material characteristic limitations, care must be taken when forming a ceramic-based cooktop as the material can be subject to cracking and the like when stressed. This potential problem is of particular concern given that the ceramic-based cooktop must be free to flex during use. For at least these reasons, a ceramic-based cooktop will almost invariably be made as a plate extending in a single plane and without any openings. However, it has been proposed, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,357,079, to create a bend at a rear section of a cooktop. Although controls for various heating elements are arranged adjacent to the bent zone of the cooktop, the controls are actually supported by a frame upon which the cooktop is supported. The upper surface of a ceramic-based cooktop is generally provided with a grid pattern to diminish the inherent transparent nature of the material. In the '079 patented arrangement, small transparent regions are maintained to provide visual clarity of illuminated displays mounted below the cooktop.
In order to enhance the use and versatility of ceramic-based cooktops, it would be desirable to enable heating element control devices to be mounted to the cooktop. However, mounting of the control devices from the upper planar surface is not considered most desirable from a ergodynamic standpoint. Therefore, it is considered desirable to provide a ceramic-based cooktop with a front, angled portion at which are mounted readily available operator controls.